Gov Umar Bago to Spend N3bn on the Provision of Palliative,to empower 30,000 farmers with farming tools.
The Niger state government is to spend N3bn on the provision of palliatives to the people in the 25 local government areas of the state to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on petroleum by the federal government.
This is just as the government also intends to empower 30,000 farmers with farming tools and other requirements.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago made the disclosures in a message at the closing ceremony of a Two day retreat organised for Commissioner’s designate and Special Advisers in Suleja town on Thursday.
Bago did not say how the money will be sourced neither did he say if the amount will be part of the N5bn each grant the federal government will release to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
Bago said each ward in Chanchaga, Bida, Suleja and Kontagora local government areas, the four largest LGAs in the state will get N20m while the wards in the remaining 21 LGAs will get N10m adding that the money should be used for the purchase of food items that will be distributed to the people.
To ensure proper utilisation of the funds and equitable distribution of the items to be purchased he said a committee will be set up to oversee the programme.
He also disclosed that 30,000 farmers will be empowered with farming tools as part of his administration’s Agricultural transformation programme pointing out that Fertilizers and other Agro- allied chemicals as well as basic farming tools are expected to be distributed to the 30,000 beneficiaries next week.
Bago charged the appointees to be proactive in revenue generation in their various offices adding that, “revenue is what the State needs to drive its development plans” noting that
“no lofty idea will be meaningful without available funds” hence “every stakeholder in governance must be aggressive and intentional about revenue generation so as to meet the demands of the citizens”.
The retreat was organised by the State Board of Internal Revenue.
